Germany welcomes Aargau and Zug, among others

From 24 October2020, Germany has considered Switzerland to be a risk area. Bit people from Zug and Aargau and six other cantons are now being allowed to enter the country without tests again. Bit there are still some hurdles for some Central Swiss and Romands.

The falling corona numbers in Switzerland have prompted the government in Berlin to re-assess the risk in its southern neighbour. Following a decision by the German Federal Foreign Office, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of the Interior, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) removed eight cantons from its risk list on Friday, 4 June 2021.

This change affects the cantons of Aargau, Basel-Stadt, Basel-Land, Graubünden, Solothurn, Ticino, Zug and Zurich. If you live in one of these cantons and want to enter Germany, you can now do so in complete freedom, as in pre-Corona times. The Corona test obligation no longer applies, the quarantine for people arriving from Switzerland was abolished some time ago, and the annoying electronic registration with the German authorities will no longer be necessary from next Monday. For some time now, there been no Covid test obligation for Swiss nationals for short stays in Germany, such as a trip across the border for shopping.

Smooth: the situation at the German-Swiss border is approaching pre-corona conditions
Chris Iseli

In the country itself, there are now more relaxed conditions for visitors from Switzerland. From Friday, indoor events are allowed again in most parts of Germany. Although a daily updated rapid test is still needed for many indoor occasions, such as indoor gastronomy, tests are no longer necessary outdoors.

Some people from Central Switzerland must still be tested
The majority of Switzerland remains on the risk list of the Robert Koch Institute, however. This is the case for the whole of French-speaking Switzerland and almost the whole of Central Switzerland. Until further notice, you must continue to present a valid negative corona test, and register your entry electronically if you want to enter Germany from Lucerne, Nidwalden or Geneva. The rules do not apply for those who are recovered from the infection or who have been fully vaccinated.

The government in Berlin assesses the risk situation once a week. If the corona numbers continue to fall in Switzerland, other cantons are likely to disappear from the risk list soon. Maybe as early as next Friday.

In addition to the eight Swiss cantons, large parts of Austria and Croatia, the entire country of Italy and the Czech Republic were also removed from the German risk list on Friday.